Over 30 officers moved as war on smuggling intensifies

Busia One Stop Border Post opened on February 24, 2018. [Photo by Benjamin Sakwa/Standard]

More than 30 police officers who have served for over 10 years at the border point have been transferred to stations outside the county.

County Commissioner Michael Tialal, who is also the chairman of the county security committee, yesterday said the move was aimed at combating smuggling menace at the border.

The transfers come a few days after President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni opened Busia One-Stop Border Post on Saturday.

Mr Tialal admitted that corruption among police in Busia was widespread.

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Kenya Prisons will also be transferred.

“As one way of fighting smuggling, we have decided to transfer police officers who were manning the border to other places far away from Busia,” said Tialal.

He blamed some police bosses within the county and at the police headquarters, whom he said were working closely with officers manning the border from Alupe to Mayenje to allow smuggling as they share proceeds of corruption.

“No officer who has been transferred will come back under my watch. New police officers will be deployed and we shall ensure they fight smuggling since that is what we want to defeat,” he said.

He said some Administration Policemen had stayed in Busia for over 15 years and were involved in smuggling of goods across the border.

He said APs found culpable of smuggling would not be transferred, but would be arraigned in court and charged.